The present invention relates to a system for removing undesirable random free flowing dyes from baths containing other materials to which association of such random dyes is undesirable. More particularly, this invention relates to a dye scavenger cloth for use in a conventional washing machine for laundering clothes to eliminate random dyes from the washing and rinsing waters, thus eliminating undesirable discoloration of some clothes by fading of dyes from others.
For as long as non-colorfast fabrics or other substrates have been laundered with, or otherwise combined in baths with, fabrics or substrates having different colors, the problem which is commonly known as "fading" wherein some amount of the dye from one fabric or substrate becomes disassociated with its original fabric or substrate, and undesirably discolors another fabric or substrate, has been a problem. This is particularly so in the home washing machine, and in the laundry industry generally. Typically, the attempted solutions to this long-standing problem have been attempts to make dyes more adherent to the original fabric or substrate to which they were intentionally applied. Stated otherwise, there have been many attempts to improve the affinity of a dye for its original fabric substrate, and thus increase the fastness of that dye to its original fabric substrate, regardless of the subsequent conditions to which that dyed fabric or substrate may thereafter be subjected.
For example, Rupin, Michel, "Dyeing with Direct and Fiber Reactive Dyes," Textile Chemists and Colorist, Vol. 8, No. 9, September, 1976, pages 139/54-143/58, discloses the amination of cellulose as a method to facilitate dyeing of cellulose by direct and fiber reactive dyes. Rupin reports that quaternary ammonium compounds such as glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (sold under the trademark Glytac by Societe Protex, Levellois, France) can be applied to fabric either prior to dyeing or simultaneously with reaction, for example by adding Glytac to the dye bath. This results in improved dyeing efficiency and improved direct dye fastness for cellulose fabrics, and similar applications to polyester/cotton blends are also suggested. The quaternary ammonium compounds per se, are known, as indicated in Rupin, supra, and the references cited therein, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,131,120, British Pat. No. 971,358; French Pat. Nos. 1,490,066; 1,589,218; 2,041,703; 2,061,533; and 2,096,702.